the oldest Marshal of France, is Vice-Admiral of the Kingdom, a Duke and Peer, a Grandee of Spain, a Commandeur of the King’s Orders, and a Knight of the Golden Fleece. He is the last of his Family, which has been render’d illustrious by all the great Dignities of the Kingdom ever since[71] the charming Gabriella d’Estrées, who was Mistress to Henry IV. He lives with as much Splendor and Magnificence as most Noblemen in France: His House is open to all Foreigners of Distinction, and Men of Knowledge and Learning are well receiv’d in it. The Marshal has a fine Library, a most beautiful Cabinet of Medals, and a complete Collection of antique Stones that are grav’d. Besides the Estate of the Family of Estrées, of which he is the only Head, he made great Acquisitions by Missisippi Stock, and there are few Sovereigns that have finer Diamonds. Since the Troubles that arose in Bretagne during the Regency of the Duke of Orleans, the Assembly of the States of that Province is always held by this Nobleman. The Nobility of Bretagne extol him very much, and find a great Difference between their Treatment by this Marshal, and the rigid haughty Air with which the late Marshal de Montesquiou carried it to them during the Regency. Tho’ the Marshal d’Estrées is very much attach’d to the Court, yet he is often at Paris, where he has a very fine House, and is visited by the greatest and the best People in the Kingdom. The Marshal’s Lady, who is Noailles, Sister to the Countess de Tholouse, was formerly a Lady of the Bed-chamber to the Duchess of Burgundy; she has all the Politeness of the ancient Court, and tho’ she is past the Bloom of her Youth, she is still one of the most amiable Women at
Court, and by her Management there is not a more agreeable Family than hers in the Kingdom. I am, &c.
LETTER XLII.
SIR,Paris, May 22, 1732.
Yesterday I loiter’d away a good deal of Time with a Couple of Englishmen, to whom, as they call it in Italy, I was a Cicero[72]. Nevertheless, you must not expect me to give you an Account of every thing I saw; and besides, so much has been already said of Versailles, that you shall hardly find one Book in twenty, almost, but what treats of the Beauties of this Royal Palace.
After having shew’d my English Gentlemen the Castle, the Chapel, the Stables and the Park, I carried them to the Royal Abbey of St. Cyr, which they had heard so much Talk of, that they long’d to see it: ’Tis a grand stately House, and worthy of the Magnificence of the great Monarch who founded it, at the Solicitation of Madame de Maintenon, for the Education of two hundred and fifty young Damsels, whose Families are not able to give them a Maintenance suitable to their Birth. Immediately after the Demise of Lewis XIV. Madame de Maintenon retir’d to St. Cyr, and there she always dwelt till she died. She went thither indeed,
even during the King’s Illness, as soon as she found that the Physicians had given him over; the King, however, contrary to all Expectation, recover’d; and not seeing Madame de Maintenon, ask’d where she was: Upon this the Lady return’d, when the King gave her a handsome Reprimand for abandoning him, and desir’d her to stay with him as long as he had any Remains of Life. Madame de Maintenon obey’d, but the King’s Breath was no sooner out of his Body, than she took Coach, and went to St. Cyr, with a Design never to stir from it as long as she liv’d.
She had the Consolation, however, of receiving Visits there from all the Princes and Princesses of the Blood; and even the late Madame the Regent’s Mother, who never visited Madame de Maintenon in the King’s Life-time, thought she could not excuse herself from making her a Visit. The Regent went thither likewise, and told her, she might depend upon his punctual Regard to every Tittle that the late King had order’d in her Favour by his last Will and Testament. Madame de Maintenon return’d him Thanks, and said, that as she was resolv’d to be retir’d for the Residue of her Life, she desir’d but 40,000 Livres a Year for her Subsistance. Four Years after this she died, and was interr’d in the Church of St. Cyr, in the Middle of the Choir, in a Tomb of plain black Marble, with the following Epitaph engrav’d on it; which I lik’d so well, that I have copied it Word for Word, and send it to you, because I don’t believe you have seen it elsewhere.